As the demand for power continues to rise, golfers are racing to boost their lower body strength. There may be no exercise more effective than split squats to do just that.
One-legged vs. two-legged
The importance of a strong lower body for a good golf swing is no longer a secret, but trainers and golfers have traditionally relied solely on bilateral (two-legged) squats and deadlifts because…well, they work.
But what if there were a better way? A more effective way.
The video will show you a few variations on an exercise ALL golfers should have in their workout programs: The Split Squat.
Here’s why…
Balance
According to TPI (Titleist Performance Institute), more than 60% of amateur golfers cannot balance on one leg for more than 10 seconds.
If the police were to administer a sobriety test and get that result, they’d certainly haul you to the slammer and would NEVER believe you could break 100.
Improper balance causes a variety of compensations in your swing, which ultimately lead to bad shots and, in many cases, injury.
Build unilateral strength
Unilateral is just a fancy way of saying “one-side” and makes trainers and coaches sound smrter so they can charge a higher hourly rate.
In regular speak, we’re all born with a dominant side that, during bilateral exercises, will compensate for the weaker side and reduce the effectiveness on your weak side.
Single-leg training will help close the strength gap between your dominant, compensating side and your weak side so that you’ve got more overall balance in your swing.
Increase range of motion (ROM)
Generating more power consistently and reliably requires that we are able to move with freedom and speed. Limited ROM doesn’t allow us to either of those things.
It’s an extreme example, but if you’re forced to swing your driver with the same range of motion as your putter, the ball’s not going anywhere.
The ability to properly load up in your backswing and follow all-the-way through is the difference between a good day on the course and throwing your clubs in the water.
Just to be clear: We’re not saying you should quit bilateral exercises – they’re proven and great. All we’re saying is that single-leg training, especially split squats, has a lot of benefits that golfers can use to improve their scores.
As always, use different variations and challenges to mix up your workouts every 4-6 weeks.
